SABRES ACQUIRE MOULSON & 2 PICKS FOR VANEK

The 29-year-old Moulson is a three-time 30 goal scorer; currently has 6 goals in 9 games

SABRES ACQUIRE MOULSON & 2 PICKS FOR VANEKBuffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier has announced that the team has traded forward Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Matt Moulson, the Islanders\' first-round draft selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and the Islanders\' second-round selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

Buffalo Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier has announced that the team has traded forward Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders in exchange for forward Matt Moulson, the Islanders' first-round draft selection in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and the Islanders' second-round selection in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

The 29-year-old Moulson had six goals – including a league-leading five on the power play – and three assists in nine games for the Islanders this season, with his six goals coming on just 28 shots.

Moulson posted three straight seasons of 30 or more goals for New York from 2009-12, and scored 44 points (15-29) in 47 games during last year’s lockout shortened schedule. A native of North York, Ont., Moulson joined the Islanders as unrestricted free agent on July 6, 2009.

Originally drafted by Pittsburgh in 2003 (263rd overall), Moulson made his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings in 2007-08, after signing with them as a free agent in September 2006. In 322 career NHL games, Moulson has 124 goals and 109 assists.

COMMENTS FROM DARCY REGIER:

"I’d like to start by thanking Thomas Vanek for the contributions that he’s made to our organization going back to his draft year, 2003 – 10-plus years. He’s been an outstanding player, outstanding teammate, citizen. The organization and we wish him only the best going forward."

"Matt, I believe, will address our current needs and provide us with support, leadership, scoring. And with where our hockey club is, the first- and the second-round picks are important, whether we select them at the draft, use the picks to select players at the draft or whether we use them to continue to improve the hockey club as we go forward through this season is yet to be determined. But that was the focus for this deal. It was a deal that has been worked on off and on for awhile and it was something that we felt we had to do."

"Matt’s a very good player…. [He’s] off to a good start and is a goal scorer and plays in the hard areas and on the power play. And will continue to contribute in that regard, but this is more an overall deal which I believe will improve this hockey club going forward."

"I don’t love where we are. I love what we’re doing and I believe in the direction we’re going."

"It is exciting when you can get young players and you can see them grow. The hard part is when you don’t win games while they’re growing and it makes it difficult. But the nature of this business is it’s short-term pressures and it’s a long-term plan that is going to get it done and you have to deal with those two."

With tonight’s trade, the Sabres will now have a combined 17 first- and second-round picks over a four-year span from 2012-2015 – the most in the 43-year history of the Sabres’ franchise.